Immune System Protocol
After several requests, I’ve put together this video to share with you my family’s winter immune system protocol.
Good food, good sleep, Vitamin D & cod liver oil, probiotics, and immune boosters like astragalus and medicinal mushrooms. And wild oregano oil when needed.
Enjoy!
How do you figure out when to take all your different supplements – especially when some of them need to be consumed on an empty stomach. And what do you do if some of your supplements are not compatible with each other?
Here are some tips to help you figure out your supplement schedule:
* Take the supplements that are absorbed the fastest, first.
* If a supplement does not specify that it needs to be consumed on an empty stomach, then it’s probably okay to take it together with other substances.
* If a supplement is recommended to be taken on an empty stomach, is it because the empty stomach is a pre-requisite for adequate absorption? Or, is it because it’s a substance that needs to have a clear surface to apply it’s healing properties? Supplements like slippery elm, aloe vera juice, and marshmallow root fit into the latter category and therefore can easily be taken together – since they’re all trying to accomplish the same thing.
The trickiest supplements for everyone to schedule are probiotics vs. anti-pathogen agents like wild oregano oil. Here are the shortcut rules to keep in mind for these two substances:
1. Probiotics have to be taken completely on their own – 2 hours away from any antibiotic or anti-pathogen (this includes wild oregano, potentized garlic, olive leaf, etc) and 20 minutes before food, or 2 hours after food.
2. Wild oregano oil is best taken on an empty stomach, but can be combined with any healing type of substance that also requires an empty stomach – like aloe vera, MucosaHeal, slippery elm, marshmallow root etc. It needs to be taken 20 minutes before food, or 2 hours after food.
Read on to see how these guidelines are applied to a real-life situation. This correspondence between myself and one of my readers also demonstrates how sometimes you have to experiment to determine the best schedule to achieve maximum potency and effectiveness from your supplements….
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Hi Jini,
I Need some help, I’m confused. Perhaps you could share your schedule of how you took or take your supplements. How far apart (time limit) should the following be taken from each other?
1. Natren’s probiotics and Psyllium?
2. Natren’s probiotocs and DGL?
3. Natren’s probiotics and L. Glutamine, NAG &
Slippery Elm( these 3 taken together) ?
4. Natren’s probiotics and George’s Aloe Vera Juice?
5. Psyllium and vitamins & minerals?The problem I am experiencing is that I take:
1. Natren’s 3 time a day (A.M, NOON & P.M-bedtime)
2. Psyllium twice a day (AM & NOON best if taken before meals??)
3. DGL before or after each meal
4. L. Glutamine, NAG & Slippery Elm 3 times a day on empty stomach
5. Aloe Vera Juice juice before retiring for the night
6. Vitamins & minerals three times a dayMy concern is that Natren’s states on their bottle that any herbs (DGL, Slippery Elm, aloe vera juice) should be taken at least 2 hours apart from their probiotics. I can only assume that herbs may kill the good bacteria in Natrens.
I hope that you can see my dilemma. I follow the Minimize Gas & Bloating Diet and it will be one year in Sept. that I am Colitis free. I’ve improved my bones from osteoporosis to osteopena. Your book “Listen to Your Gut” has been a God send. Any input you
can pass along will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Jini for all you do for us.Warm Wishes,
K.B. Canada
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Dear K.,
Congratulations on your wonderful progress! I think you’ll also see some really good results from Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol. Also, you can speed up your bone-building even faster if you use nanoparticle-sized minerals – my whole family takes these now and for your condition you would definitely benefit from both the Trace Minerals and the Bone Support. Here are my suggestions in response to your questions:
Keep in mind that our food can contain many natural antibacterials (like garlic, onions, etc.) and Natren has had to set a time limit that applies to a wide variety of substances at all strengths/potencies. For example, if you’re taking Wild Oregano Oil or Olive Leaf, then you definitely cannot consume the probiotics sooner than 2 hours as you’d be wasting your money, however, other supplements (and foods) are far less potent against bacteria. Therefore, you may be okay to implement the following schedule:
Before a meal:
take the Natren Probiotics
wait 20 minutes
then take the NAG, L-Glutamine, Slippery elm and psyllium (in that order – you’re taking the most rapidly absorbed substances first) after the meal take the DGL
Before bed:
take the Natren probiotics
wait 20 minutes
then take the George’s aloe vera juice
OR
You may want to try this schedule:
Before each meal:
take the NAG, L-Glutamine, George’s aloe vera juice, Slippery elm and psyllium (in that order – you’re taking the most rapidly absorbed substances first) after the meal take the DGL (or in this case, you can also take it before the meal, if you prefer, since you’re not consuming the probiotics at this time)
Before bed:
Take 1 – 2 teaspoons of each Natren probiotic (Megadophilus, Bifido Factor, Bulgaricus)
Perhaps you may want to experiment with both schedules and see which one gives you better results. The Natren probiotics may work better for you in multiple doses and may not be affected much by the other supplements, or, they may work better taken on their own in a large dose. A good way is to test both and see which one works best.
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Hi Jini,
Thank you for the two schedule suggestions, this clears up my confusion. I’m confident that I’ll have better results from my supplements now that I have a clear understanding of how to take them. I tell my husband I have two Bibles, one to save my soul and one to save my gut. Thanks for your wonderful support, God Bless.
Regards, K.
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Visit our Holistic Health Shoppe to find out which supplements I recommend and to learn more about them – you don’t need to order from there, just use it as a resource to find out which brands I recommend and why, then you can write them down and have your local health store order them in for you.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
Remember the Healing Retreat I told you about? – that’s where I’ve really been developing these deeper healing tools. And now I’m hard at work with Annabel Fisher turning that retreat into a VIRTUAL retreat – that can be experienced from the comfort of your own home – no travel required. I’ll keep you posted on how that’s going.
In the meantime, one of those super-effective healing tools is to imagine or visualize the desired healing in a Theta brainwave state.
There’s a fascinating book called The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge MD and in it, he describes exactly why and how when you visualize or imagine something deeply, the brain (and subsequently the body) cannot tell the difference between reality and the imagined event:
To give you one example, on page 201, Doidge tells a story about Pascual-Luone, who taught a sequence of piano notes to two groups who had never studied piano before. One group just sat in front of the electric piano keyboard and “imagined” playing the sequence and also imagined hearing the notes being played. The other group actually physically practiced the music on the piano keyboard.
“Both groups had their brains mapped before the experiment, each day during it, and afterward. Then both groups were asked to play the sequence, and a computer measured the accuracy of their performances.
Pascual-Leone found that both groups learned to play the sequence, and both showed similar brain map changes. Remarkably, mental practice alone produced the same physical changes in the motor system as actually playing the piece.”
So, in this way, when we imagine or visualize a healing action or sequence – especially when we are in Theta brainwave state, the brain will action it without question or hesitation. Personally, I feel that when the “imagining” is done in deep meditative state (when the brainwaves are in Theta frequency), this will potentiate the effects/results.
The more we visualize a particular occurrence or sequence, the brain builds neural pathways, or maps, to support that sequence – like grooves being worn deeper and deeper. This continues until it gets to the point where a habit is formed, or you will automatically do that thing without thinking.
I’ve just uploaded 3 new healing meditations over at JPT Wellness Circle, but I also wanted to give all of my readers a chance to experience this healing modality.
In this healing meditation, I lead you through breathing and visualization techniques to bring you into deep relaxation and Theta brainwave state.
Once you are deeply relaxed, you can then visualize or imagine whatever needs healing in your body – whether it’s pain relief, or increasing circulation, or wound healing, or combating infection, or stimulating peristalsis, etc.
If you’re not sure how to imagine your healing, see Healing Visualizations on page 364 of Listen To Your Gut, or, listen to one of the other specific/targeted healing meditations to get some ideas.
You can also use this meditation to implement the Dialoguing With Your Body technique on page 350 of Listen To Your Gut.
When I stop talking and the music begins, that’s when you begin your visualizations. I also have another version of this meditation with silence, instead of music, if you prefer that. You might want to try both and see which one works best for you.
Simply download to your iPod or mp3 player, or, you can burn it onto a CD.
Do this healing meditation every night before you go to sleep, or perhaps during your quiet time in the daytime. Do it often, until the neural pathways have been reinforced to the point where you see the change in your physical body.
An added bonus will be the deep physical relaxation your whole body will receive by relaxing into deep meditative state every day.
Enjoy!
p.s. Do not play this meditation whilst driving, or doing anything other than lying down.
Meditation: (c) 2010 Jini Patel Thompson. All Rights Reserved.
Original music: Cloud Wings (c) 2004 Steve Martin, All Rights Reserved.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
Unbelievable. The nasty things people are doing to factory-farm animals just keeps growing:
How does a drug marked, “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask” become “safe” in human food? With no washout period?
The drug is banned in Europe, Taiwan and China, and more than 1,700 people have been “poisoned” from eating pigs fed the drug since 1998, but ractopamine is used in 45 percent of U.S. pigs and 30 percent of ration-fed cattle.
Even more frightening, 20% of the drug remains in the meat when you eat it, according to veterinarian Michael W. Fox.
We’ve discussed the importance of eating certified organic food in a number of teleseminars, but unfortunately, not everyone can afford to eat 100% organic. So for those of you who aren’t JPT Members, here’s a shortlist of guidelines you can take to the grocery store with you:
Organic Meat & Dairy Most Important
Due to the numerous nasty drugs, growth hormones and antibiotics given to factory-farmed (i.e. “normal”) animals, eating certified organic meat (or exclusively grass-fed, not just “grass finished”) and dairy products should be at the top of your list. Yes, meat is the most expensive thing to purchase organic, BUT, due to the serious health consequences, it is the most important.
So here’s what you can do: Eat meat like oriental people do, where the meat is thinly sliced and is just a small component of your meal. Unless you’re out working in the fields all day, doing manual labor, once you are an adult, you don’t need that much protein to support your body. You can also get protein from organic or grass-fed raw (not pasteurized) dairy and from organic, free-range eggs – which are all cheaper sources than meat. Fish is also a great protein source, just make sure it’s wild (not farmed) and mercury levels are not too high. Nuts and seeds are another good protein source when you cannot afford much meat.
The other great thing about animal protein is that even if you consume a very small amount of it, it substantially increases protein extraction and utilization from legumes and other non-animal sources.
If you make sure a large number of your calories (40%) are coming from organic fats – like butter, coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil – then that greatly reduces the amount of meat you need too and increases your health! Again, since an animal stores hormones and toxins in its fat, this is another area where you need to make sure the fats you eat are certified organic or grass-fed.
Here’s another facet to be aware of: If you live in the U.S., it has some of the lowest standards for organic certification for animals. So what you have occurring now, is that factory farm cows (for example) are kept in the same conditions – overcrowded, no access to pasture – but just fed organic grain and not given routine drugs, and presto, they are being sold as “certified organic” meat or dairy. The farmers have figured out that it’s more profitable to just have a higher death rate (from the poor conditions), but be able to get organic prices for their meat/dairy. For this reason, if you live in the States, 100% grass-fed (not just “grass finished”) meat/dairy or free-range chicken/eggs are often preferable. Especially if you buy from a smaller farm where the farmer is personally involved. If you order in bulk and keep frozen, this is usually cheaper than organic anyway.
Note: For these reasons, you also shouldn’t order meat in restaurants, since it is almost all factory-farmed. Stick to veggies, pasta, seafood, etc.
Cut Corners On The Veggies
Where you can save some money is in purchasing your vegetables and fruit. Here’s a simple guideline to follow so that you don’t have to cart a list around with you: the harder the surface of the fruit or vegetable, the less pesticide-absorption there is. Likewise, anything that requires peeling contains less pesticides, since you’re peeling off a lot of the pesticides. So, soft produce, like lettuce, spinach, strawberries, peaches etc. absorb the most pesticides and you want to make sure you buy them organic. But hard or peel produce, like oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, cantaloupe, apples, etc. contain less pesticides – especially after removing the skin, so that’s where you can save money if you need to. Also, check to see if produce is “no spray” – this is considerably cheaper than organic, but still cuts out a lot of pesticides. Likewise, look for transitional organic produce – again, less pesticides, but not as expensive.
One other tip: hot house vegetables usually require less pesticides used than field vegetables. So if you absolutely cannot afford organic, or no-spray, then get whatever you can that has been hot house or hydroponically grown.
Also consider planting your own veggie garden – all you need is a balcony off your condo or apartment and that’s sufficient. There’s an entire movement of people taking control of their food, at huge savings, by getting involved with urban gardening – we also did a teleseminar about this at JPT Wellness Circle that has all the info you need to get started.
Don’t Buy Processed Foods
Processed, packaged foods are where the costs can really escalate. If you need a sweet treat, then take one day and bake in bulk – banana bread, muffins and cookies all freeze really well. Package them up in one-week packets (i.e. the amount of treats your family wants to eat each week) and then just take a packet out of the freezer as needed. I’ve got LOTS of recipes for my family’s favorite (yet healthy) treats over at JPT Wellness Circle, but I also made a few of my healthy, delicious treat recipes available to everyone.
When you want a salty treat, just buy plain, salted potato chips. Or, even better, make your own organic popcorn with organic butter (or coconut oil) and salt. You can also add fine-grated parmesan for a cheesy popcorn taste – but don’t stint on the butter. Remember, 40% of your cell membrane is fat, so don’t be shy.
If you cook several meals in bulk and freeze them, that also cuts down on the impulse to buy processed foods when you don’t have time to cook. Excellent meals to freeze (again, package in whatever serving size suits your household) are lasagne, stews, soups, chicken nuggets, hamburger patties, meatballs, bolognese sauce and cheese sauce (for mac ‘n cheese).
If you buy a small deep freeze (check out Costco or Craigslist), this really helps you to buy in bulk and cut costs. Large bags of organic peas from Costco are actually cheaper than pesticide peas in smaller packets. Again, just divide them up into smaller bags when you get home for easy access. If you contact your local grocery store, you can find out (for example) how much chicken they need you to buy to get bulk pricing. Then buy a case and freeze it. I do this with everything and here’s what I save by buying cases:
Organic tomato sauce from Costco ($.75 vs. $2.49)
Organic Italian olive oil from Community Co-op ($8.49 vs $22.99)
Organic canned Tuscany tomatoes (imported from Italy) from Community Co-Op ($1.49 vs. $3.89)
Organic gala apples ($1.05/lb vs. $1.98/lb)
So, to sum up, get as much as you can at cheap places like Costco and Trader Joe’s and then buy staples in bulk from the cheapest organic supplier you can find. In the summer, if you live near any farms or farmer’s markets, get no-spray whenever possible.
What’s Your Health Worth?
My final comment on this whole issue is that the amount of money you’re willing to spend on groceries is largely a matter of attitude – not reality. In Europe, it is normal and expected to spend 20% of your income on food – because good quality food is valued and appreciated there. In the U.S., most people spend only 10% of their income on food. So when people say that they “can’t afford to eat organic” – well, even if organic food is double the price, you’d still only be spending what millions of families routinely spend.
In my family, food (groceries) is the most important thing we spend our money on, along with supplements. Because, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything! Exercise you can get for free – brisk walking, hiking, going to a playground, soccer or football in a park – these are essential for health, but don’t require any money. Good quality, health-promoting food and supplements do cost money, but are so worth it. And these two elements form the foundation for not just good, but vibrant health: Good Health Is Real Wealth.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. <a href=”www.ListenToYourGut.com” target=”_blank”>www.ListenToYourGut.com</a>
I’ll often get emails from readers saying that they’re doing everything they should in Listen To Your Gut, but they’ve hit a plateau and they’re not improving. Based on hundreds of consults over the last decade, here are the crucial areas people usually need to look at:
1. Get your hormones checked out and balanced. Although I advise people to do this in LTYG, since there are no instructions, I think people tend to miss this crucial step. Hormones need to be tested and balanced by a doctor specifically trained and experienced in working with them.
We did a very targeted teleseminar that comprehensively covers this issue at JPT Wellness Circle, called Chronic Illness & Hormone Balance with Dr. Wendy Ellis. Dr. Ellis works with Dr. Jonathon V. Wright, at Tahoma Clinic in Washington – who was made famous by Suzanne Somers’ books on HRT. You can contact Dr. Ellis at the clinic (she does phone consults where appropriate) or if you listen to the teleseminar, Dr. Ellis gives out her personal email where you can ask her a question or two, or get a referral to a GOOD hormone doc in your area.
You should also watch this video on Managing your Thyroid & Adrenal Glands – The Secret to Healing Chronic Disease by Dr. Frank Shallenberger, MD who has a clinic in Nevada and is also a very good doctor for these issues.
Balancing your hormones will help your immune susceptibility and also help you to gain weight or – in the case of a child – maximize their growth potential as well.
2. If you’re struggling with probiotics and find you just can’t tolerate any kind of traditional probiotic supplement, then forget about trying to get your probiotics from traditionally dairy-based sources. Instead, look to fermenting vegetables for this – Nourishing Traditions is a good cookbook for that – just eat a small amount of fermented carrots, cabbage, beets, etc. with your meals. There are also other good recipe books on Amazon for fermented veggies and even some good freebies on the internet, just do a Google search on “fermented vegetable recipes”. I found this post easily that has a number of good fermented veggie recipes – just leave out the cayenne on the Kimchi recipe.
Or, you could try Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics OMX 12+ which is non-dairy and derived from fermented plants. However, it does still contain lactic acid bacteria, so if that’s your sensitivity, then this won’t work and best to just eat homemade fermented vegetables:
“As Dr. Ohhira delved further into the science of good health, he discovered that certain naturally fermented foods consumed in Asia are a rich source of lactic acid bacteria. After years of studying the known strains of lactic acid bacteria occurring in fermented foods indigenous to Southeast Asia, Dr. Ohhira developed an award- winning probiotics that recolonizes the microflora in the digestive tract and enhances good health – a product that is several technological generations ahead of other probiotics.
Ingredients of OMX probiotics include 92 types of natural crops including special leaves, bark, herbs and fruits, which grow wild in a vast region of the Kibi Highlands and Hiruzen Highlands of the Chugoku district in Japan, several kinds of seaweed and various organic vegetables. This proprietary blend is combined with 12 strains of lactic acid bacteria, which include the most prominent strains of bacteria possessing the highest proteolytic power in the world. In fact, scientists have established that the lactic acid bacteria contained in Dr. Ohhira’s probiotics OMX 12 plus are 6.25 times stronger than any naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria.”
If you have an extreme probiotic intolerance (note: I mean EXTREME intolerance, and not to be confused with a Herxheimer Reaction) due to inflammation (I talk about this on page 170 of Listen To Your Gut), then there is no point in supplementing with probiotics of any sort until you have calmed the inflammation in the gut. This is best achieved by using anti-inflammatory and gut healing substances (like MucosaHeal, George’s Aloe Vera Juice, wild oregano oil, elemental diet, etc.) first, whilst weaning yourself off drugs (like Prednisone) that prevent healing. Then, after you have healed your inflammation to the point where your gut can tolerate bacteria, you can try to introduce probiotics, very gradually, only one species at a time, beginning with B. infantis. This approach is best combined with the next point below…
3. Do EFT specifically on food intolerances or allergies. YES it will help even though we think of food allergies as a physical phenomena, read these two articles and you’ll see why:
http://www.emofree.com/Allergy/multiple-food-allergies.htm
http://www.emofree.com/Allergy/food-sensitivities-jo.htm
4. REST more. I can’t tell you how many people are trying to work as usual, go to school, play sports etc. and wondering why their body is not healing. Healing takes a LOT of energy. You need to rest a LOT for your body to be able to heal.
When you do physical activity, it needs to be nurturing and relaxing (like yoga, tai chi, walking, etc.) not competititve sports.
If you are bleeding, then you need to lie down horizontal in order for the blood to clot. As long as you are up and moving around, you’re working against gravity. It’s just common sense: If you have a cut on your finger, do you keep using that finger? Or do you immobilize it and give it a chance to heal without being moved, bumped, scraped, etc.
Soar higher,
Jini
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
QUESTION:
I’m wondering which elemental shake product is better? Because Absorb Plus has whey protein isolate and Optimental by Abbott has whey protein hydrolysate.
Wikipedia says that the hydrolysates are predigested, and more easily absorbed. So I’m thinking they might be better for my mom. Any comments?
Here’s what I read from Wikipedia…
“Whey protein typically comes in three major forms: concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate.
Concentrates contain a low level of fat and cholesterol but, in general, have higher levels of bioactive compounds, and carbohydrates in the form of lactose ? they are 29 %-89 % protein by weight.
Isolates are processed to remove the fat, and lactose, but are usually lower in bioactive compounds as well ? they are 90 %+ protein by weight. Both of these types are mild to slightly milky in taste.
Hydrolysates are predigested, partially hydrolyzed whey proteins that, as a consequence, are more easily absorbed, but their cost is generally higher. [8] Highly-hydrolysed whey may be less allergenic than other forms of whey. [10] They are very bitter in taste.”
ANSWER:
Here’s a good link that describes how the different forms of whey are processed.
Basiclly, the issues are as follows:
1. Yes, the product is better, but do they show what % is Hydrolyzed?
2. The more Hydrolyzed, the worse the taste and the higher cost
If you are only using up to 20% Hydrolyzed, as shown in the link, then the absorption return on investment is not there. It’s more of a marketing move.
You can see from the ingredient panel that the Optimental product contains MORE sugar than whey. And the sugar is in the form of sucrose – which is a disaccharide, not even a monosaccharide. It also contains canola oil and soybean oil – which it does not state are cold-pressed, so they are likely hydrogenated. And it contains artificial flavors.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
In this month’s issue of Good Health Is Real Wealth, I share my tips and my top 10 different recipes for gaining weight using nutrient-dense, healthy, yet tasty foods. So I just had to post two of my favorite recipes here for you to enjoy as well.
And if you don’t need to gain weight, no worries, you can use these muffins to replace a meal (like breakfast) or simply as a healthy, nutrient-dense snack – instead of a chocolate bar. And don’t worry, this is not granola-cruncher fare, my recipes have all been kid-tested by my 3 demanding treat-connoisseurs (aged 3, 7, 9)!
I give my kids these muffins to take to school when they get bored with sandwiches and other snacks. For this reason, they are as high in protein (from almond flour – ground almond meal), whole grains and even veggies, as I could make them, so that even though they taste like a treat, they are actually a nutritious meal. For this reason, these recipes are also ideal for weight gain, or to use in place of breakfast, or as a late afternoon, or bedtime snack.
Optional: If you prefer, you can use raisins instead of cranberries. You can also just delete the white chocolate, if you prefer.
1. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, melted butter, and honey. Then stir in the grated zucchini and raisins.
2. In another bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (almond flour, whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt).
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just mixed.
4. Bake in lined muffin tins at 350F for about 15-20 minutes. Makes about 20 muffins.
*High protein due to the almond flour and no refined sugar!
1. In a large saucepan, combine butter, tahini (or nut butter) and honey on very LOW heat, until melted and well mixed.
2. Remove from heat, mix in cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
3. Gently (but quickly) stir in the puffed rice and millet.
4. Press into a well-buttered 8″ x 8″ baking pan. Allow to cool and then cut into squares.
Note: because this recipe doesn’t use marshmallows or sugar, it does not set as hard as rice krispie squares. However, it is still delicious and much healthier!
I also find that it can be easier to drink your extra calories, so here’s a nutrient shake that is also kid-tested and delicious. For people who are not trying to gain weight, you can just use this in place of breakfast:
Optional: Add 1/2 tsp of cocoa powder or 1 tsp of hot chocolate mix to make a chocolate shake. Or add nutmeg, cardamom and/or cinnamon for a Christmas eggnog taste.
Puree milk and banana together in a blender on low speed (or use hand blender) until smooth, then add rest of ingredients and blend for 10 seconds. Pour into a glass and serve with a straw.
You absolutely cannot tell there are eggs in here – it does not thicken the liquid, or anything.
Note: The blending instructions are to avoid damaging the protein in the raw eggs, which is quite delicate.
And in case, you haven’t seen it yet, here is my video where I show you how to get more healthy fats into your diet. Whether you are underweight or overweight, consuming more good fats will help normalize your weight. Many experts advocate getting 40% of your calories from good healthy fats, since the cell membrane is 40% fat and studying healthy indigenous people has revealed they consume a very high amount of fat in their diet (up to 80%). Good, healthy fats include:
Soar higher!
Jini
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
A January 2010 survey reported on CBS News found that only 45% of Americans liked their job. This means that 55% are not satisfied with, or dislike their job! This is a very high figure – why do so many people stay in jobs they hate?
Freelance journalist Cosmo Dookelo has an answer for this:
“In today’s regimented office environments, in any building type, security is paramount. In return for half a paycheck every other Friday, they are loyal to jobs they hate, and they come home to pour themselves into projects like model railroading, hang gliding, etc. at hobbies they love, all the time having to quell the voice in their heads that they OUGHT to be doing what they LOVE. They OUGHT To be experiencing God’s Favour. They OUGHT to do it whether they are paid or not.
But instead they work to fulfill some other person’s goals, or to prop up another person’s ego all the while despising themselves for doing so. This makes the minutes tick by like HOURS. They had a vision when they were 10 years old that they would be an ATTRACTION and would do something IMPORTANT… and instead, because they seek the total security with (of) their resources, they repel people. They repel increase… they repel the good life and their lives become pleas for more poverty and want. You don’t solve this problem by chasing money.
Americans hate their jobs because they hate themselves. They hate themselves because they are too cowardly to strike out and go hungry for a week, a month, finding the work that Needs Them, and that They Need. They are trapped in communities of negativity who simply tolerate them. Because of this, any new idea brewing might be stillborn it in someone’s mind.
It rots there.”
But can your business or your job be part of your spiritual journey? Can it actually be a healing process? Find out as I interview Mark Silver - a Sufi Master and Business Consultant.
Also find out what it takes to transition from a job to self-employed.
Find out what helps you deal with fear and anxiety over financial security. Just click the PLAY button on the podcast below…
p.s. You can also subscribe to my podcast show on iTunes (no charge) – then you can automatically download all my podcasts and listen to them on your mp3 player at your leisure.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
My hubby is looking for a new laptop and he’s quite taken with the new wireless technology. As soon as I hear “wireless”, I think, “radiation?” So I decided to do some research on this. I asked the salesperson at the computer store (and we all know how honest they are) what the electromagnetic radiation was like from a wireless computer. He assured me that computers, unlike cell phones, used radio waves. So it was exactly the same amount of radiation as having as radio playing on your desk, and perfectly safe.
Hmmm….that just didn’t intuitively make sense to me.
So I hit the Internet for further research, and here’s what I dug up. Now, if you like to see original research, you can read this next part and click on the links. But if you just want the end results, then scroll down to the end section titled: CONCLUSION.
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WIFI RESEARCH
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You can go here to NASA’s site to get an easily understood definition of exactly what electromagnetic radiation is, and the distinction between the different types of waves: http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html
This article tell you what wavelength/freqency wireless computer devices work with (frequency and wavelength are inter-related as explained in the NASA article): http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Wi_Fi.html
Once we know the frequency wireless (WiFi) technology uses, we can then compare that to Radios and TVs.
FM Radio is in the 88 – 110MHz range Analogue TV (what most people have in their homes) is at 400 – 600MHz Digital TV is at 600 – 1000MHz.
If you go to: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R/RF.html
They give a great definition of radio frequency and then an excellent chart showing the strength of the various frequencies:
“Radio frequency is also abbreviated as rf or r.f. – any frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio wave propagation. When an RF current is supplied to an antenna, an electromagnetic field is created that then is able to propagate through space. Many wireless technologies are based on RF field propagation.”
“These frequencies make up part of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum:
- Ultra-low frequency (ULF) — 0-3 Hz
- Extremely low frequency (ELF) — 3 Hz – 3 kHz
- Very low frequency (VLF) — 3kHz – 30 kHz
- Low frequency (LF) — 30 kHz – 300 kHz
- Medium frequency (MF) — 300 kHz – 3 MHz
- High frequency (HF) — 3MHz – 30 MHz
- Very high frequency (VHF) — 30 MHz – 300 MHz
- Ultra-high frequency (UHF)– 300MHz – 3 GHz
- Super high frequency (SHF) — 3GHz – 30 GHz
- Extremely high frequency (EHF) — 30GHz – 300 GHz”
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CONCLUSION: WIFI IS NOT SAFE FOR FREQUENT, ONGOING USAGE
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So, based on the information gathered above, here’s where each item (cell phones, radio, TV, wireless computers) lies in terms of intensity of electromagnetic radiation:
FM Radio is 88-110 MHz –> Very high frequency electromagnetic radiation
Cell phones are 824-869 MHz –> Ultra-high frequency electromagnetic radiation.
Wireless computers/internet are 2.4 GHz –> Ultra-high frequency electromagnetic radiation (but nearly up into Super High frequency range).
Therefore, surprise-surprise, wireless computers and their networks are NOT SAFE for frequent, ongoing human use!
Worrying also is regular TV transmission at 400-600 MHz (Ultra-high frequency) and the Digital TV in the 600-1000MHz range (also Ultra-high frequency). But at least one tends to sit a good distance away from a TV! Those of you that already have my new, revised, expanded LISTEN TO YOUR GUT book/program, will know exactly why and how cell phone radiation damages your health – I have an entire section in the book about it with research from prestigious sources like The Lancet (British medical journal). Therefore, we already know how damaging radiation in the Ultra-High frequency range is.
Now, granted, a computer is not pressed up right against your head, or in your pocket like a cell phone is. But once you know the serious damage that cell phones can cause (at the cellular level – no pun intended!), you know that there’s no way sitting a couple of feet away from a similar frequency of electromagnetic radiation for hours at a time is going to be good for your body.
WiFi technology has now been around and used for long enough that there is now solid research on the damage it causes to the body.
Now, granted, a computer is not pressed up right against your head, or in your pocket like a cell phone is. But once you know the serious damage that cell phones can cause (at the cellular level – no pun intended!), you know that there’s no way sitting a couple of feet away from a similar frequency of electromagnetic radiation for hours at a time is going to be good for your body.
There is now plenty of information published on the damaging effects of cell phones, WiFi and other wireless devices – over 2,000 scientific, peer reviewed studies! Many governments in Europe have warned against cell phone and wireless usage – particularly for children, the elderly, or immune suppressed people. There is even research showing that this harmful spectrum of electromagnetic radiation can cause IBS.
So if your health is already an issue (and especially with children), this is just one more stressor you should avoid.
Oh yes, and don’t forget to get rid of your cordless phone – these also operate on the same frequency and are actually more damaging than cell phones since they are continually radiating at high levels.
Needless to say, after seeing these results, our house remains filled with just normal computer radiation from plug-in laptops! Also, keep the radiation issue in mind if you’re thinking about buying a new computer with a really big, high-definition screen – in this case, bigger is not better.
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THE HEALTHIEST COMPUTER TO USE
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I had my Apple iMac 8.1 with a 17″ glass LED screen tested for EMR and by the time you get about 18″ away from it, there is almost none. I then put a plant next to it to further defray the radiation. So if you are electrosensitive or protective of your health – then this is a good computer to get.
My healing program, LISTEN TO YOUR GUT has an entire chapter on eliminating unnecessary toxins (like electromagnetic radiation) from your everyday life. I take you through your kitchen, bedroom, living room, etc. step-by-step and tell you exactly what is harming your health and what you can do about it. Making the changes is EASY as I also provide you with step-by-step instructions and checklists in the Workbook that comes with the program.
You need to use your energy and healing resources for healing yourself – don’t let it be drained away by fighting easily eliminated toxins. Create an environment that supports your healing process, not undermines it.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
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ARE HOMEMADE BROTHS WORTH THE TIME & HASSLE?
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Many of you who have my book, The IBD Remission Diet will know that I strongly advocate that people drink meat and vegetable broths in between the Absorb Plus shakes on the Diet. This is largely due to the amazing health benefits of homemade bone broths. But it also serves to stimulate the appetite: If you just consume sweet tastes all the time, you’ll hit satiety quite quickly and just not be able to face the thought of yet another shake!
However, if you alternate sweet and salty tastes, this keeps the appetite stimulated and makes it much easier to consume the number of calories you need each day from the Absorb Plus elemental diet shakes.
For those of you who have purchased the new Listen To Your Gut program, one of your Complimentary Bonuses included a Healing Diets Recipe Book, and in that recipe book, I give you all the recipes for making homemade broths. You can then use these broths when you make soups, stews, or gravies/sauces. Again, I did this partly for the taste benefits, but primarily for the health benefits.
Traditional cultures all over the world – from Jewish to Asian – have always used homemade broths as an integral part of their diet. Sally Fallon and Mary Enig have written a fantastic cookbook based on traditional/primitive food preparation techniques, called Nourishing Traditions. If you’re to the point in your healing journey where you’re on the Minimize Gas & Bloating Diet or Maintenance Diet, then I highly recommend you pick up this cookbook and begin eating this way for optimum health. If your system has not yet healed to the point where you can move on from the Reduce Diarrhea Diet, then it’s too early for you to use the Nourishing Traditions cookbook. Until your system is healed more, you won’t be able to benefit from it. However, whatever stage of healing you’re at, you can most certainly benefit tremendously from homemade broths.
As Sally Fallon writes in her article Broth is Beautiful:
“Thus, broth is a vital element in Asian cuisines–from the soothing long-simmered beef broth in Korean soups to the foxy fish broth with which the Japanese begin their day. Genuine Chinese food cannot exist without the stockpot that bubbles perpetually. Bones and scraps are thrown in and mineral-rich stock is removed to moisten stir-frys. Broth-based soups are snack foods from Thailand to Manchuria.
Asian restaurants in the US are likely to take shortcuts and use a powdered base for sweet and sour soup or kung pau chicken but in Japan and China and Korea and Thailand, mom-and-pop businesses make broth in steamy back rooms and sell it as soup in store fronts and on street corners.”
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WHAT’S IN THE BONES?
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Now, to be honest, the recipes for broths in “Nourishing Traditions” are actually better than mine – because they call for more bones in the pot, and also get you to add vinegar to draw out the minerals from these bones. I like to use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (another health product) and you don’t have to worry about the acidity because the vinegar is boiled off in the cooking. As Sally Fallon points out in her “Broth is Beautiful” article:
“Peasant societies still make broth. It is a necessity in cultures that do not use milk because only stock made from bones and dairy products provides calcium in a form that the body can easily assimilate. It is also a necessity when meat is a luxury item, because gelatin in properly made broth helps the body use protein in an efficient way.
The French were the leaders in gelatin research, which continued up to the 1950s. Gelatin was found to be useful in the treatment of a long list of diseases including peptic ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, muscle diseases, infectious diseases, jaundice and cancer. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. The American researcher Francis Pottenger pointed out that as gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means that it attracts and holds liquids, it facilitates digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut.
Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.
Fish stock, according to traditional lore, helps boys grow up into strong men, makes childbirth easy and cures fatigue. “Fish broth will cure anything,” is another South American proverb. Broth and soup made with fishheads and carcasses provide iodine and thyroid-trengthening substances.
When broth is cooled, it congeals due to the presence of gelatin. The use of gelatin as a therapeutic agent goes back to the ancient Chinese. Gelatin was probably the first functional food, dating from the invention of the “digestor” by the Frenchman Papin in 1682. Papin’s digestor consisted of an apparatus for cooking bones or meat with steam to extract the gelatin. Just as vitamins occupy the center of the stage in nutritional investigations today, so two hundred years ago gelatin held a position in the forefront of food research. Gelatin was universally acclaimed as a most nutritious foodstuff particularly by the French, who were seeking ways to feed their armies and vast numbers of homeless in Paris and other cities. Although gelatin is not a complete protein, containing only the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts, it acts as a protein sparer, helping the poor stretch a few morsels of meat into a complete meal. During the siege of Paris, when vegetables and meat were scarce, a doctor named Guerard put his patients on gelatin bouillon with some added fat and they survived in good health.”
When you go to make your own homemade broths, you can either use Sally’s recipes (provided in her article) or you can use mine, but add extra bones (and feet if possible) and 1 tbsp. Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar to each of my recipes.
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AN EASY WAY TO GET STARTED
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I know that cooking organic, unprocessed food from scratch takes a lot more time than the way all your friends and neighbors eat! So here’s one of my favorite procedures to get the “biggest bang from your buck”. The steps below show you how to get 2 meals, plus a gorgeous broth from one organic chicken:
1. Buy a whole, organic chicken (remove the gizzards, neck etc. from the chest cavity and set aside in the fridge). Place the chicken (breast down, spine up) in a roasting pan. Surround the chicken with quartered potatoes, peeled carrots, and peeled, quartered onions (you can also add peeled, cubed squash if you like). Drizzle olive oil over the top of the chicken and vegetables and then sprinkle the following spices on the chicken: powdered garlic, basil, oregano, hungarian (non-spicy) paprika, powdered ginger (use whichever of these spices you have on hand). Then put the lid on the roasting pan and put it into a preheated oven at 350 degrees Farenheit. An average size chicken should cook in about 1.5 hours.
2. When the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and set aside for supper or later. You can use the lovely roasted chicken meat and vegetables for that night’s dinner. You can make a gravy from the drippings left in the pan, if you wish.
3. Remove all the good, useable meat from the chicken. Eat some that day, package the rest up and freeze it for future meals. Cut into chunks ready for use in stews, casseroles and curries. Dice finely and freeze for Chicken Salad sandwiches (add equal parts yoghurt and cold-pressed mayonnaise to make the chicken salad – serve in sandwiches, or open-faced with raw cheddar melted on top). You see, from one easily cooked chicken (much easier than even pan-frying!) you get at least three meals!
4. Now take all the remaining skin, bones, gristle, and the gizzards and neck you removed initially, and throw them all back in the same roasting pan. Add filtered or spring water to within 2 inches of the top of the pan and 2 tablespoons of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (or regular vinegar is okay too), and 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Put the lid back on and put it back in the oven (still at 350 degrees Farenheit) for at least 2-3 hours (longer if you can leave it – up to six hours). Stir contents and break up softened bones halfway through.
5. Remove pan from oven and throw chicken parts away, or give them to your cat or dog (depending on how long you boiled it for, the bones can be as soft as cooked carrots). Strain the contents of the pan through a sieve into a large bowl underneath the sieve. Place this bowl into your fridge and allow to cool overnight.
6. The next day, use a spoon to scrape all the congealed fat off the top of the broth and throw the fat away. Then package up the broth into freezer bags for future use in stews, sauces, soups, etc.
Think of all the goodness and body-strengthening nutrients you can get from just one organic chicken! As with all things, the barrier is to just do it once, then it becomes a whole lot easier once you’re familiar with it.
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
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LANCET STUDY SUGGESTS CROHN’S DISEASE DUE TO WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM
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In February 2006, the BBC News (a London, UK news agency) reported on a study published in the UK medical journal, The Lancet. I’ve printed the article below as it is yet one more piece of evidence that supports my growing conviction that Crohn’s (and colitis, diverticulitis and moderate to severe IBS) are infection-based diseases. The article is also further encouragement for those of you following my Listen To Your IBS or Listen To Your Gut program, or The IBD Remission Diet – all of which focus on balancing the immune system to return to it’s proper functioning (as well as addressing the infectious component). Here’s the article (do you think the makers of Viagra were involved in funding the study??!):
“Fresh Theory On Cause Of Crohn’s”
A weakened immune system – not an over-active one as had been suspected – may cause the intestinal disorder Crohn’s disease, research suggests.
However, work by University College London (UCL) suggests Crohn’s is more likely to be due to a weakened immune system failing to destroy bacteria.
The Lancet study also suggests the anti-impotence drug Viagra may help to treat the disorder.
Viagra was found to correct low blood flow among Crohn’s sufferers.
“There are several pieces of information that suggest Crohn’s is linked to an abnormality of the immune response, rather than an excessive one” – Dr Alistair Forbes
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes ulcerations in the small and large intestines.
The UCL team compared the immune system response of Crohn’s patients and healthy individuals to minor injuries, such as skin abrasions.
They found the Crohn’s patients produced much lower numbers of infection-fighting white blood cells called neutrophils, and lower quantities of chemicals involved in the inflammatory process.
Blood cells taken from Crohn’s patients also turned out to be abnormal when cultured in the laboratory.
E. COLI INFECTION
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The UCL team also tested Crohn’s patients’ response to bacteria by injecting a harmless form of E. coli under their skin.This resulted in a huge increase in blood flow to the inflamed area in healthy volunteers – but a much smaller increase in the Crohn’s patients.
The researchers found this abnormally low blood flow could be corrected by treatment with Viagra.
The researchers believe that, because Crohn’s patients have weakened immune systems, they are unable to destroy bacteria that penetrate the intestinal wall.
Thus the bacteria are left to build up in the tissue, stimulating the secretion of inflammatory chemicals that trigger the symptoms of Crohn’s.
Dr Alistair Forbes, medical director of the gut disorder organisation Core, told the BBC News website the work was “very exciting” and consistent with other pieces of work which suggested Crohn’s was linked to a weak immune response.
RESPONSE
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Dr Forbes said Crohn’s patients had been reported to benefit from a treatment usually given to cancer patients to stimulate the production of white blood cells.If Crohn’s were an auto-immune disease then one would expect this treatment to make patients worse, rather than better.
In addition, a mutation of a gene linked to Crohn’s was thought to weaken, rather than intensify the immune response.
He said: “The cause of Crohn’s remains unknown, and although there are genetic factors, it is quite clear they don’t explain the whole thing.
“Crohn’s is clearly related to the bacterial flora in the gut, but how is not clear at all.
“There are several pieces of information that suggest Crohn’s is linked to an abnormality of the immune response, rather than an excessive one in the first instance.”
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Again, those of you who have the Revised edition of Listen To Your Gut or Listen To Your IBS will already have in your hands detailed instructions for balancing your immune system and eradicating the various infectious agents that may be in your gut – and I hope you’re doing the Workbook! (on the CD-Rom).
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Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com
One of my readers, Roland Lemus, sent in these excellent tips for dealing with the J-Pouch procedure, or if you are considering it…
While there are many Dr. related medical items to follow when dealing with the J-Pouch recovery, here are the nitty-gritty personal-experience things I wish I’d known ahead of time:
I can only speak from a male’s perspective as well, because there are some very sensitive items related to the male’s libido and the genital area that the J-Pouch operation impacts. The J-Pouch operation is a two-step process, where the time on having an Ileostomy (see picture at left) differs from person to person. Mine was a 2 month transition from the initial operation and I only had to wear the bag for two months. They call the reconnection a “take down process” in the terminology used.
THE ILEOSTOMY
1. You will still have mucus coming out your anus, even though the doctor will tell you that nothing is going to come out there, you still have to check and wipe as necessary, residual fluid will find it’s way out, so don’t be alarmed.
2. The pain medication right after the first operation is wing dinger, it hurts to move around. If you have relatives or a loved one to help you, that is so important.
3. More important than anything else is the fact that you have to have the replacement bags and the fittings ordered and figured out on who is paying for them, whether your health insurance covers them or not. The J-Pouch surgeon should have nurses assigned to help transition the process of changing the bag and getting in touch with the re-supply. When you are on pain-killers, all of this is a blur and fuzzy and this info is critical to ensure you change the bag in a timely fashion.
4. Ileostomy bag irritation is inevitable at the point where the bag connects to the stoma; there is a powder that is used to help shave the excess stomach hair that helps calm the irritation. However, the patient will soon realize that they can eat things that they could NOT eat before, like hot wings, etc. Do not go crazy and start eating past foods with high ACIDITY content. The fluid that comes out of the stoma during a bag change can STING so bad that it will make you yelp in pain. I learned this the hard way. You should powder the area around the stoma and the connection, dry shave and change the bag as quickly as possible. Having a lot of wet towels and keeping the changing process clean is a must. If you do not shave you can have skin literally ripping off when you change the portal area and the bag. I had to go to the doctor about this because the acid from the bile was burning my skin.
5. Wearing clothes that are baggy doesn’t hurt; however, anything that is see-through can be uncomfortable.
6. Noise from the bag filling up with gas and liquid will happen. You will have to let out the gas once in a while when you feel the balloon effect happening. Could be embarrassing for some, but not really a big deal.
7. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: When emptying the bag in the toilet, if you are a male, at the toilet, do yourself a favor and place a good cushion of toilet paper in the toilet bowl BEFORE you empty the bag into the water, because splashing will occur and you could STAIN your shirt or clothing and a bile stain doesn’t come out easy. Placing toilet paper on top of the water first, greatly reduces the splashing of the bag contents. I learned this the hard way.
AFTER THE CHANGE AND TAKE DOWN
Here is where the REAL potential pain starts, because now you are really using your new J-Pouch. Critical pain management is mandatory if you do not want to go back to the doctor pleading for help. I am not kidding about this. I won’t go into pain management, but it is really something important, and that is why I’m bringing it up. Visits to the bathroom will increase three-fold. The amount of wiping on your rear makes everything feel like pins and needles, like glass being raked against your skin. The acidity from just regular eating will also increase the pain level. There are many products that you can use but here is what worked for me:
1. Calmodine is a good lotion to use, and has a thick consistency like a cream. I helps in small portions, however, it will not take away the pain and using too much will ADD pain.
[Note from Jini: I would try Burt's Bees Diaper Cream or Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment comfrey salve]
2. The real life-saver and pain-reducer is to stop wiping so much and start dabbing and splashing water to clean yourself. Slowly and carefully. Washing your hands afterwards is obviously hygienic and necessary; this small but important process will relieve 90% of the pain from the acidity. Also take things to help reduce the cramping and burning (like probiotics).
[Note from Jini: we've found it's best to use Kleenex 2-ply, white, (nothing else added) tissue to wipe, but flash it under warm water first and then dab/wipe very gently. Use repeatedly until clean. Then apply salve if needed with a q-tip or your finger. For extreme pain around the anus, use a perineal wash bottle to spray warm water over the entire area until clean. Then dab dry gently with Kleenex.]
3. Take Probotics, and anti-acids. They are critical to making you feel better; also, Echinacea is also helpful. The doctor will state what you cannot eat any longer and I have stopped eating raw vegetables and things that might clog up the Pouch.
[Note from Jini: I don't advise people consume antacids as they cause long-term problems by down-regulating the acids needed for digestion and preventing probiotics from colonizing effectively. Better to use minerals and alkalizing foods like JUICED green veggies and whey protein isolate shakes to calm acidity]
4. Spicy foods and drinking alcohol during the first year is just asking for unnecessary pain and cramping. It will almost feel like you have UC again. But the changes will be slow and you will start to feel the difference.
5. Everyone is different, but here are some items that I still cannot eat unless I want to spend some time in the bathroom: anything with Marinara sauce and some barbecue sauces.
6. Protein drinks and other supplements are still effective and helpful, I still do this and I recommend it highly. Nutrients are essential.
7. Remember, everything you eat now, goes through you in about 4 hours, give or take a few minutes, mileage may vary for others.
8. Do not take anything that is time-release and expect it to work, Time-release medicine will no longer work because of how fast your body processes everything.
Male issues:
If you have a tough time getting an erection, do not wait to see what happens; go to the Urologist and get an assessment of what the problem could be. The main drawback from this operation is that the male nerves for the penis are moved around and it could impact the ability to get an erection, impact the ability to ejaculate or all of the above. I only mention this because males need to know that it is not them, and that this is a REAL possibility and could be traumatic. The male genital is a muscle and as in any muscle, if not used, its recovery will be slower. It can take a YEAR for full use and some males need help to push that effort along.
Dehydration: Drink water all the time!
This is a huge factor on anyone who has a J-Pouch and they really need to monitor their fluid intake at all times. I have been hospitalized several times for dehydration from getting sick and having diarrhea and vomiting can easily go into a point of no return. The symptoms are stiffness and soreness, but your kidneys will hurt and you will start to feel SEVERE cramping in your legs, your calves, and other areas. Since the large intestine is the re-hydrating mechanism for your body, you now have to really be your own police on fluid intake. The items listed below relate to just one night of not taking in a lot of fluids and letting 10 hours go by and being very ill. Everyone will vary, but this is not just an idle scenario.
[Note from Jini: people with J-pouch may want to try the lemon water (filtered water, fresh lemon juice, stevia) we learned about in my teleseminar with pH acid/alkaline expert Maraline Krey. Instead of just drinking regular water, the lemon (which becomes alkaline after ingestion) water helps the body to hold onto the water longer.]
1. If you get sick, and think you need to sleep it off, do not go through a whole night with these conditions and not drink water, in the morning you may not be able to recover and you will be dizzy and could even faint due to the condition.
2. If you are an athlete you can exercise and go for hours if you drink and keep fluids going that contain potassium and salts. I cannot stress this enough about doing this process.
3. Watch the food you intake, avoid food poisoning as this alone can also create a visit to the hospital. At the hospital, and your muscles are in pain and cramping, you need to tell the ER staff immediately that you have a J-Pouch, failure to do so could mean they catheterize you to get a urine sample when in fact that isn’t necessary at all.
In closing, I hope these little tidbits are helpful, I feel much better, but now MY challenge is the hydration game, I fight in medieval armour and I had food poisoning, which put me in the hospital for several days with getting fluids etc. I have managed to gain total remission from using some of your recommended protocols as well as the SCD Diet , and believe that the key to success is to understand the known causes of the IBD problem (your books do this very well) and to address the tested remedies with an awareness consciousness at all times and discipline, especially when eating food.
[Note from Jini: Sports Blend Electrolytes will likely solve your hydration problems. It is recommended by Dr. Carolyn Dean MD ND and many of my readers use it with chronic diarrhea. Because the electrolytes are angstrom-sized (nanoparticles) they are instantly absorbed into your bloodstream - no digestion required.]
Thanks again Roland, for sharing this important information!
If you read through the probiotic selection criteria given in Chapter Two of Listen To Your Gut, you will see that VSL#3 doesn’t meet all the criteria for a fully bioavailable, therapeutic probiotic of maximum potency (these selection criteria were taken from microbiology research). But yet, this probiotic has shown great results in clinical trials. How can that be?
Something that is not common knowledge is that the trials done using VSL#3 were not done using the commercial product that is sold to customers, but using fresh product, straight out of the lab. I contacted the manufacturers years ago about this, but they refused to comment or send me any further information.
This is not to say that VSL#3 and other probiotics have no therapeutic value, because the final decision to action must be based upon experiential evidence. You can have all the scientific theory in the world proving or disproving any given thing. Whilst we must research and use our intellectual gifts, at the end of the day, you’ve got to do what works!
Often I have had a strong intuition about something and years later scientific evidence has proved me correct. And, as has already been pointed out, different things work for different people. Which is why my book is titled, Listen To YOUR Gut – not someone else’s. And never give your power away to any authority.
One last interesting tidbit to chew on: In Natasha Trenev’s book, Probiotics: Nature’s Internal Healers, she outlines several studies that show that even when bacteria are completely dead, or even absent, they still have a protective effect! One example given is that they put a species of probiotic into the center of a petri dish containing a pathogenic bacteria. The pathogens fled to outer edges of the petri dish, trying to get as far away as possible. Then they dumped out the contents of the petri dish and cleaned it thoroughly. When they added the pathogen again, they still fled to the outer edges of the petri dish. Why? Was there an ‘energetic footprint’ left behind by the probiotic? Or some incredibly minute particle that still remained despite washing the dish? Who knows. But it’s absolutely fascinating and illustrates how even if you consume a probiotic that’s mostly dead, it can still have a positive effect.
So, in the end, do what works. If you get better results from VSL#3, then use that. Again, I must refer to one reader’s story who got the best results from probiotic cycling – he alternated Natren, VSL#3 and Dr. Ohira’s. If he stayed on any one, his symptoms would return, but by cycling through them, he avoided any flares (as soon as symptoms would begin to return, he’d switch brands). All these brands are good ones to experiment with as none contain anything harmful.
Personally, I wish more people would experiment with this (probiotic cycling) as I’d love to hear what happens, and perhaps we can come up with an even more improved protocol.
Oh yes, one last thing. Previously, I did express my reservations about not taking probiotics whilst bleeding. This was not based on any scientific evidence, but merely my own feeling about not doing too many things at once (since when the body is very ill it is often oversensitized and trying to treat everything at once can trigger a flare). However, as I do state in LTYG, there is a colon clinic in Sydney that has used high dose oral Natren probiotics and daily Natren retention enemas to treat bleeding cases of Crohn’s and Colitis with much success, for several years now.
So again, please follow your own gut. As long as you are not supplementing with bacterial soil organisms (like Mercola’s, Primal Defense, etc.) you should be fine.
